Epilogue
by starshipw
Summary: One-shot. The final chapter of any Naruto saga. The love of his life is deathly ill, but he refuses to be parted from her. To protect the ones he loves and accomplish his goals he must defeat a shinigami, even if it costs him his own soul. NaruHina


Epilogue

The long line of ninjas marched up the tallest mountain in the vicinity of Konoha. It was a beautiful crisp autumn morning with air so transparent that details could be clearly seen on all ten Hokage statues far below. A broad shouldered blond haired man lead the way, laughing and joking with his friends. The easy smile only left his face when he heard coughing coming from the curtained litter being carried by his four strong adult children.

A handsome middle-aged woman hurried over and pulled back the curtain. She had streaks of gray running through her pink hair, but though they were the same age, there was a stark contrast between her and the white-haired lady whose back she was rubbing. Micro sized blue chakra strings drew moisture from individual alveoli into the trachea. The next coughing spasm brought up enough dark brown phlegm to fill a handkerchief.

Deep wrinkles creased a forehead and a sunken face which until recently had only shown laugh lines. Only the eyes remained unchanged. The blond man dropped back to hold her hand and, as he had for every day of thirty-five years, marveled at how blank white eyes could somehow express so much love.

The caravan climbed slowly past red and gold leaved trees to the very summit of the mountain, a location that held a special place in the heart of the blond. This was where he had defeated a monster and first earned the accolades of the entire Village. Even more importantly he had convinced the monster to restore the lives of his sensei and dozens of others who had been murdered. Naruto could think of no other isolated location more appropriate for carrying out his plan.

Fondly he looked around at each of his friends and silently sent thanks out on the wind that the dozen rookies had survived and prospered, an almost unbelievable feat in the world of the ninja. That miracle had only become possible because the wars had ended with the agreements between the five great nations. There was still ambition and greed in the world and those who thought they were disadvantaged by the status quo, but somehow the general peace had held. Naruto thought of it as living in a mud house where the walls required patches, repairs or complete rebuilds after every rain.

Even though the wars had spared them, the years had not been universally kind. One friend, prematurely aged by grief, was helped over rough sections by Shino. One of the triplets always remained close by his side to nuzzle a shaking hand or give a comforting lick, even when the other two went off to sniff the world.

The pink-haired woman went back and took her husband's arm from their youngest son. The man smiled. It warmed Naruto's heart to see him smile. The contented life he led now with a loving wife and family more than made up for his blindness.

As they climbed above the treeline, the autumn wind became brisker and more biting. The litter paused long enough for him to carefully tuck a quilted comforter around her and steal a quick smooch. Their children smiled fondly, but couldn't raise enough good spirits to order them to act their age or maintain a little dignity. When they realized that today they couldn't bring themselves to even yell at their father, they felt still worse. To cover their embarrassment they picked up the palanquin and continued the climb.

The procession reached the summit and Naruto pointed to a particular spot, indistinguishable from any other. The paper shelter which had once stood there had left no traces. He formed a clone which just nodded, "I'll go sit under that bush out of the way. Call me when you need me."

The Tenth Hokage briefly studied the ground and ordered everyone to stand back. The earth stripped away leaving a perfectly round, perfectly level rock platform. Two older men climbed up on the platform. The first caused six wooden torches to grow out of the bare limestone, equally spaced around the rim of the circle.

The other elder rolled out a large scroll completely covered in runes so ancient that, after years of study, Naruto had only the vaguest notion of what most meant. The runes marched off the paper and formed an intricately patterned circle which covered the platform. A man with glasses and his orange-haired wife studied the result in minute detail before declaring it perfect. The elder's smile lit up the entire mountaintop. He wore an eyepatch because, once he had given up the title of Hokage and retired, his wife had made him remove his mask and nobody argued with Anko.

"Senseis, thank you for all that you tried to teach me. Yamato, I hope I didn't disappoint you too badly."

"No, never disappointed, often frustrated, but always entertaining."

"Kaka-sensei, I hate to be the one to break up team 7."

"Unfortunately, this is yet another fight I can't protect you from."

The blind man stepped forward, shaking off his wife's solicitous hand. He spit out six fireballs which lit the six torches and as the crowd applauded, bowed slightly and recentered his dark glasses which had jerked slightly askew. The preparations were now complete, so there was no excuse to put off their journey. Sakura infused bracing chakra into her patient before Naruto helped his lover step to the ground. It was time to say goodbye.

"Ino, you are more beautiful than ever. I always thought you would look better if you gained a little weight."

"Baka, I'd knock you clear off this mountain, but Hinata would never forgive me."

"Sai, love her well."

"My friend, you taught me how to be human and the meaning of friendship. I thank you always."

"Choji, you were ever the best of us. I am so glad to have had you as a friend."

"And I you."

"Lee, you have always been an inspiration. I have never been in any difficult situation where I couldn't say 'Keep going, Rock Lee would never quit.' "

"And I envy you. You have lived a life of excellence and have chosen an end fitting of a hero."

"Shino, it has been good to know that when I stumbled, your bugs were always there to catch me."

"You have done your part and always loved and cared for our teammate. That is all I asked of you so many years ago."

"Kiba, you and the triplets make a great team." He scratched each of them behind the ears.

"Dobe, you should let me do this. I have nothing left to live for. You know I would look after her."

"My dear friend, I know you care deeply for her, but I have more than one promise which only I can keep today. Shikamaru, I owe you so much, and the whole world owes its peace to the plans you have made for it."

"Naruto, the only time I ever was unsuccessful in devising an adequate strategy was my failure to contrive a way to punish you for forcing me to become Hokage."

"Buddy, you know you were the only choice. It just accidentally worked out that Konohamaru couldn't become Kage yet when Yamato wanted to retire because Hanabi still needed to stay on as Head of the Hyuuga Clan for another five years until Asahi was ready to take over. Besides, the responsibility was good for your character. Temari, don't let him get too lazy. Kankurou, I'm not sure I care for the new face paint."

"It signifies mourning. Today the Land of the Wind loses a great ally."

"Gaara, you ever going to retire?"

"I might now. With you gone the world will be a much less interesting place."

"TenTen, you taught us so much, not just about weapons, but to not be afraid to love. Neji, I always set you as a standard of what a shinobi should be."

"Naruto, the whole clan is forever grateful to you and Cousin Hinata for repairing the rift between the Houses and for giving us Asahi as our new Head."

"She's a fine girl. She got her talent and good looks from her mother. Unfortunately her personality takes after me. Moegi, no crying, Dear."

"I can't help it Sensei. We are still just kids around you. I wish I could make a happy genjutsu and make it go away."

"Take good care of her Udon."

"That's easy. Taking care of the Hokage is much harder work."

"No, that's my job, Naruto-nii-san."

"Hanabi, don't mourn her too long. This is what we have both wanted since we found those diaries and read about Kushina and Minato. Now is our time.

"Boss, it hardly seems fair to leave me alone with this crew. Each of the councilors think they could do better as Hokage than I am, but none of them will take the job."

"Follow what I did. Never listen to them. Just do whatever Shikamaru tells you to."

"I knew it, Dunderhead. You were faking it the whole time. I had you pegged as a loser from the start. Obnoxious, no talent, unpredictable, best friend a man could ever have. Why don't you forget this foolishness and fight me instead. I can still take you with both eyes tied behind my back."

"Teme, you've spent so much effort restoring your clan you've forgotten how to fight. How many Uchihas are there now?"

"Good question, oh great Hokage. Start with the first dozen, or was it thirteen, and then grandkids, and one great-grandkid, minus the traitors the Namikaze are trying to steal away. I usually let my doctor keep track of these things."

"Idiots. As if you both don't dote on all the grandchildren. That's the only reason you can't keep track of which are yours, which are ours, which we share, and which belong to the rest of the Village and just hang around our compound. Naruto-kun, the whole world will be a sadder place without you, but I will be the one who misses you most of all. If only there had only been something more I could have done to help Hinata-chan."

"No doctor can defeat death. Ninja who try invariably misplace their souls. Haha, that was a stupid thing to say when today I intend to pick a fight with death myself. And my beautiful wife and I intend to win, believe it."

The four children gathered around them as everyone hugged. If anybody thought it unusual to see six jonin crying, they didn't care to mention it because there were at least that many others standing around with tears in their eyes. The children might have never let go, except that Hinata sniffed back some mucus and immediately went into another coughing spasm.

Naruto looked on in pride at his children as they helped their mother onto the platform. The eldest, Arashi, was blond and good looking, with exotic white eyes. From an early age he had been chased by all the girls, except one. The tiny dark haired kunoichi with huge chakra and delicate control had never given him the time of day until she discovered his wind jutsu could heat her fireballs to blowtorch intensity. From the end of that battle they were inseparable as teammates, and soon as lovers. Both families had been extremely happy until Grandma had declared that, after skipping a generation, the first grandson had inherited the sharingan. Even after the boy became a genin, it was still an object of contention among the Grandpas as to whose clan he belonged in.

Asahi had always been his favorite, though he tried not to show it. She looked exactly like her mother, acted exactly like him and was Hyuuga all the way through and through, which she had informed him in no uncertain terms at age 5. Years of training by Aunt Hanabi along with Namikazi speed and stamina had driven the clan's gentle fist techniques to levels yet unseen. Marrying Neji's second son had wiped out the last lingering differences between the branches of the clan.

Redheaded Kushimi had fallen in love with the ocean at a young age. Naruto had tried to share her obsession, but at best he was an indifferent sailor. Still, he knew his parents would have been as proud of her as he was, but he found it funny that after growing up as an unwanted orphan that he was now related to royalty. To think that the Daimyo's youngest son would find it advantageous to marry into his family!

It was his youngest, Narutaka, that he worried most about. Coming of age after the last of the wars, there had been no great deeds left to accomplish, no dastardly villains, no bloodline to define himself by, nothing to measure himself against. The boy (man really, it would help if he could treat his baby as a man) was talented enough, but aimless and timid. Tomorrow he should talk to Shikamaru about finding new goals for the next generations of ninjas. But there would be no tomorrow. Have faith that Konohamaru would handle it. That's what you trained him for.

He took his beloved's hand and walked to the center of the circle as the last golden rays of the setting sun framed them in its aura. The kissed passionately, every bit as eagerly as they had that first time when they had discovered they were meant for each other thirty-four years ago. His arms tightened, then froze in shock. How was it possible this powerful young girl could have become so frail. In his mind they were still 18, starting their lives together on a honeymoon to the Moon Country. That was where he had discovered that just because his wife was shy, it didn't mean she couldn't be a wildcat in bed.

He held her hand and nodded to their six friends sitting cross-legged at the points of the star behind each torch. A hexagonal barrier arose around the platform. She smiled at him and his heart skipped as his will wavered. Then he grinned back and pricked their fingers with a kunai, their blood mingling. She had no doubts, so he must be as strong. In unison they chanted as their fingers flashed through the signs, "Snake-Boar-Ram-Rabbit-Dog-Rat-Tiger-Horse-Snake!" Clap!

He could feel it. Something immense and ancient and, perhaps not evil but uncaring for the morality of insignificant men, had formed behind them. "Don't be afraid Hinata-chan. It is just one last opponent before we rest."

"I am not fearful, Naruto-kun. I am never frightened when you are here to hold my hand. Death is my friend and I am ready to go with him. The only times I have ever been scared was when you fought Kakazu and Pein and Madara. I was afraid that they might take you away from me. Today I know that can never happen. We will battle this monster and then go into the afterlife together. If we should fail and be swallowed to spend eternity in torment inside the belly of a shinigami, then I am content as long as we are together."

Outside of the barrier, the youngest Uchiha sibling complained, "Sheesh, are they kissing again? Mom, did the summoning even work? I can't see anything."

"Shush, your Auntie Hinata has earned all the comfort she can receive. It is love that makes her strong. And stop depending too much on your new sharingan. There are many things in this world that it cannot see. Love is one. Death is another. Feel the disturbance in the chakra currents. It is subtle, otherworldly, almost undetectable, but at the same time vastly powerful."

Again their hands separated, but only long enough to make one final seal and complete the jutsu. "Fuuin Jutsu, Shiki Fuujin. Death Demon Imprisonment!"

They turned and looked at what they had wrought. "Naruto-kun, it worked. We both have a specter and he has beads on both hands. That should mean that he has to use both hands and can't use his knife to cut the jutsu short, doesn't it?"

"Kakashi, Udon and Shikamaru thought it would work. Your specter is so cute, just like a droopy doll."

"Don't say such things. It is grotesque. I know since I got sick I have been ugly and you have been so kind, even though I can't BE with you like we want."

"Hinata-chan, you are so wrong. I have known you since we were little children. I have loved you since we were teenagers. I always hoped we could stay together until we were 90, but 50 is OK. We got to be grandparents and all of our kids are doing fine. I was the lucky one because I got a bonus. I got to see how you might have looked as a white-haired baba, and you are still beautiful."

"Baka, only you would think that is some sort of a compliment (cough, cough, cough). Sakura would have pounded lumps on your head, but I know you meant it with love. How long will this take?"

"No one knows for sure. Between the First's Forest Jutsu and his Darkness Jutsu, little of that battle in the arena could be observed. Jiraiya recorded that the Fourth said the Reaper has to do something with the beads first. There he goes spinning them and wrapping them around his arms. Hinata-chan, turn away from me now. I love you."

"Naruto-kun, I love you so."

The shinigami's arms turned dark with patterned runes. Slowly they were lowered, and then rammed through the middle of the specters. Agony. Naruto gasped as the ghostly claw tore through his internal organs. "Hinata... Don't turn... Are you... in much pain?"

"I bore you, unh... four children. This... hurt is nothing... But we... should hurry. My lungs (cough) are filling... with blood and... fluid."

"Hold on just a little while longer. Ready. When I squeeze your hand."

The spectators outside of the barrier held their breaths as their friends began bleeding from their mouths. Otherwise there was little indication that anything was happening until abruptly they leaped and stuck side by side in midair. Whatever they had in their grasp was completely insubstantial. Holes were torn in their shirts, front and back, but no wounds were visible. Fixed in time and space, a life and death struggle was taking place in a frozen tableau.

Suddenly, shockingly, the demon appeared in the center of the circle. Kakashi spoke quietly, his voice commanding the attention of all gathered. "Young ones, gaze upon a sight no man has ever before seen and lived. This is the God of Death that fifty years ago the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikazi summoned to protect the Village. I was there that day and carried his lifeless body back to lay beside his wife. Thirteen years later the Third Hokage also gave his life to defeat the traitor Oroichimaru by sacrificing himself to the Death God. Today two more heroes confront death and for the first time ever force him physically into the world of men."

Dark limbs extended from Naruto and Hinata's midsections into the beast's abdomen. The arms slowly withdrew, grasping wispy insubstantial shades. The appendages paused, waiting. Always before the jutsu had been completed by the use of a seal, but this time the vessels refused to complete the seal. In frustration it reached for the knife in its mouth, but both hands were already occupied. Death is a natural instinct, not an intelligence, and instinct told it more souls were within reach. It released what was in its hands and jammed its claws back within its own belly.

Slowly the two masses of protoplasm took form. Hinata had to let go with one hand to cradle the one in front of her. "Naruto, it's a baby. How could it be a baby?"

"Old Man, what is going on here? I didn't expect this. By the way, you don't look so old anymore yourself."

"Do you think that my soul would become as old and decrepit as my body was when you knew me, Naruto? No, while some may become small and cramped in old age, I always remained young in my heart." He took the infant in his arms. "This is my student. I fear I took the best part of him with me when we fought, his search for knowledge and love of jutsus. I hope my failures did not lead to many problems for you."

"I'm sorry Hokage-sama. I know you cared for him, but over the years we had to kill him many times while he split his soul into smaller and meaner pieces until all that was left was the fear of death. I'm glad that this part of his spirit survives. Oh, Hinata-chan, it is starting again."

The dark arms again withdrew, but this time the black nails in front of Naruto trapped a fiercely scarlet aura. Tendrils stretched out of the blob and waved into the air. When one touched Naruto his own chakra cloak appeared. The blob began thrashing as Naruto formed a tail, and then two tails. Sarutobi backed away as a tail curled around Hinata, supporting her.

The specter forming before Hinata also became agitated. It moaned, trying to shape words. Finally she was able to make out what it was saying, "Stop. Don't. You are releasing the demon. Who are you? Why?"

"Hokage-sama, you do not know me. I was born shortly after the time you fought Kyuubi. My name is Hinata Hyuuga. (cough) Don't concern yourself about Kyuubi. He and Naruto have it all planned and Shikamaru-kun and Kakashi-sensei say it should work out fine."

"That man is Naruto and Kakashi is here also? But why would you do this?"

"Isn't it obvious? He has wanted to rescue you and Sarutobi-sama for many years. He loves you both."

"But it is much too dangerous. You don't know what Kyuubi can do to a village."

"Hey dad, I got your message and it helped me figure a lot of things out. According to Kushina's diary you were a pretty stubborn guy yourself, but this time you need to listen to your elders. I'm twice as old as you and was Hokage for five times as long, so trust that we know what we are doing. Old nine-tails and I have come to an agreement."

A fourth and a fifth tail formed as the red shade also continued to take shape. Sarutobi and the infant backed even further away as waves of chakra emanated from the twin demons. Minato fruitlessly attempted to step in front of Hinata, but was still unable to move. Naruto's transformation was completed as the eight-tail demon began to grow a ninth tail.

Minato's spirit was finally free, but he had no weapons and no access to jutsu. Sarutobi placed a filmy hand on his shoulder, "Wait and have faith in them. Just as you were able to exceed me, they have accomplished that which we would have never attempted. There is more power at work here than either of us is aware."

The ninth tail solidified, contacted the demon spirit and stuck. Slowly the tips of Naruto's fingers appeared from beneath the fox's flesh, and then his hands. Demon chakra flowed out the tail and into the growing crimson figure. As his head emerged, it became apparent that he was in horrible agony from the forcible extraction of the demon. As the last strand of red exited from his stomach just below where the ghostly limb pierced his torso, his body slumped and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. However, before he could fall his grip suddenly strengthened and he looked over at them and smiled mischievously.

"Son, I thought you had died when Kyuubi was removed from you. How did you survive?"

"Not quite yet, Dad. Hinata and I still have one more duty before we go. I am confused as to what old 'Nigami here is still reaching for?"

Sarutobi exclaimed, "Minato, look at his eyes. He is using toad jutsu. Somehow he has harnessed natural chakra to keep himself alive."

"The old man is right. I'm running on battery power right now. I used a clone to channel enough natural energy into me so my love and I could finish this job together. Look, someone else is coming out! Two more men." Soon an argument erupted between the new shades.

"Prithee, whyfore hast thine spell been cast?"

"Bastar, kill thou wilst I."

-- --

At the same time there was another argument occurring, but only Naruto could interpret the deep ominous rumblings. **"Finally, I am whole. Now I will punish the parasites who so long humiliated me."**

_"No, we will not harm men."_

**"I will have my revenge on that man and all who entrapped me."**

_"The Forth Hokage is a shade, beyond our ability to injure, as is the Third Hokage, as is Jiraiya of the Sannin, as is Madara Sharingan. All on whom you would seek retribution are already dead. Demonkind and mankind have reached a new accommodation. Demons refrain from attacking men, men no longer seek to enslave demons and each punishes their own for any crimes. Naruto is the last of the old jinchuuriki and we are the last of the captive bijuu."_

**"Are you all dogs licking the hands of the humans to accept this degradation? We bijuu are masters of our own destiny and answer to no one."**

_"Fool, observe the strength of this barrier and the ninjas who cast it. At the lightning torch is Sixth Hokage Sharingan Kakashi. Standing behind him is Kamaitachi Uchiha, the pink haired man who is picked to become the Eleventh Hokage. The rest of the Uchiha are at the fire torch. Think long and hard before opposing a half dozen mangekyo sharingan if you do not wish to once again fall under man's dominance._

_ Controlling the Yin/Yang torch is that pink she-devil who now calls upon Katsuya. I would not again become infested with slugs sucking my chakra like leaches. With her is the Ninth Hokage who uses shadow traps and designs other even more deadly snares. Any action you think to take he has already prepared for. The Tenth Hokage, grandson of the Third, is master of Earth manipulation. Behind him stand Asahi and the rest of the Hyuuga Clan. _

_ At the air torch is the Kazekage, a master of sand manipulation and former Ichibi jinchuuriki. With him is Arashi Toad Master, Head of the refounded Namikazi Clan, grandson of the man who split us into two pieces." _

_ At the water torch is the Eighth Hokage, the heir of the First Hokage and all his wood jutsus. This man singlehandedly rebuilt the walls of the Whirlpool Village which we crushed decades ago. Remember that time and the anguish inflicted upon us by the Shippuuden and his daughter Kushina, who became mother of our jinchuuriki, the man who retired as Seventh Hokage to reestablish the Whirlpool Village and has chosen to free us, father of Kushimi Uzumaki the Fifth Shippuuden and heir to all the Uzumaki water jutsu, if you desire humiliation._

**ROAR! "You craven lickspittle, you toady. Not only do you fear to oppose men, you admire them! Worse, you like them. Fifty years trapped in that vessel has warped you. Better to dwell fifty years inside the belly of death growing your hate."**

_"You are correct on one thing. He is a truly admirable being who thinks only of others and never of his own comfort. Enough! All bijuu are in agreement. You must re-merge with me."_

Crimson jaws crashed shut on a scarlet skull. Soon all that was visible was tails flailing out of the fox's mouth. **"You lied to me. We are not the last captive bijuu!"**

_ "And now you understand why we can no longer fight men. On that one night I stayed in his mind and learned the meaning of passion and true love. At the end I lost control of a tiny spark of my essence which remained inside the beautiful Hinata-chan. And so it came to be we have a child which has been nurtured inside the boy Arashi. To protect him I have worked to end all war between men and demonkind, though one almost started when the Kages discovered that the Leaf had another jinchuuriki."_

-- --

A worried Minato watched as yet two more shades were pulled out of the shinigami's belly. He asked the spirit with a red Uzumaki swirl on his back who acted as spokesman and translator for the others, "Well prithee, is this about the last of them? I don't think those two can hang on much longer."

"Aye, strong and fearless be they. Proud I am to claim them for family. If'n said monster afore Mistress Hinata be the hydra of old, ergo this monk be the legend whom twas said vanquished it and penned the scroll used by generations of Uzumaki Clan in darkest days, now named the Fourth's Jutsu."

"Hey, I never called it that. The rasengan was my invention and Kushina and I perfected the hiraishin using space/time techniques from the Uzumaki Forbidden scroll, but I never claimed the shiki fuujin as mine. That creature looks fearsome."

"Aye, but no dread. Tis only a beast with nary mind nor soul to pass on to the next plane. Tis turning to mist as bespoken, the spell ends. Faith, be there some else? Would fain not spend eternity back inside yon devil."

As soon as the hydra disappeared, the dark arm withdrew and Hinata collapsed. Naruto screamed in grief, "Hinata!"

"naruto... kun... i... luv..."

Kakashi ordered, "Sasuke, now. It has to be done while he is still trapped on the physical plane by his own arms. If he removes the sword from his mouth they are all goners." Five torches flickered out as the fire chakra torch blazed at bonfire intensity.

Sakura protested, "The timing is off! Naruto is still connected to the monk's shade. He'll be dragged down with them."

"Shikamaru, DO IT!"

Naruto pleaded, "Kyuubi help."

_"Yes Friend." _The tip of a giant tail whipped out and crushed Naruto's chest, instantly stopping his heart. He fell to the platform with a contented smile on his face.

The roaring fire lit the entire enclosure with an eerie yellow light, except for the point where the extinguished Yin/Yang torch stood. The awful shadow of the shinigami darkened the image of Shikamaru standing with arms outspread like a crucifix. "Shadow Possession complete."

Two fox tails, burning with chakra struck out and swept away the specters hanging before the death reaper. Shikamaru was shaken by the strike at his chakra, but managed to hold on to his jutsu with support from a young man wearing a Suna headband. "Well Dad, that was kind of bothersome."

"Naruto usually is."

Kakashi ordered, "Barrier down. Walk forward... Barrier up." The new barrier flickered and faltered before firming up. Sakura knew she was at fault, but couldn't even blame herself. Surrounded by ghosts, kneeling at the feet of an angry Death Reaper who was looking straight at her staring greedily at her soul, sitting between the corpses of two of her best friends, her emotions were at a breaking point.

The Naras forced the Shinigami's arms down to its sides and the barrier constricted to the point where it could no longer move. The monk chanted something unintelligible except for the word "Kami" and perhaps "Blessings", and walked into the light of the torch. In turn, each of the shades, both "good guys" and "bad guys", their disputes long withered away by time, expressed their thanks and stepped into the light. As each left, the reaper began to fade from sight and, with one last threatening glare at his tormentors, disappeared.

"Old man, your team is waiting for you." Indeed, figures flickered in the light which might have belonged to a young Jiraiya and Tsunade. And Asuma and Osaki, too.

Konohamaru whispered, "Uncle, Dad."

Minato said, "Someone is waiting for us, son. Hurry along." He gave Kakashi a wink and slipped away.

Sakura and Hanabi busied themselves straightening the bodies to be loaded on the palanquin for the journey back to Konoha. Watching the spirits say a last goodbye was too painful to endure.

"Kyuubi, keep an eye on Arashi and Kitsu. There are still those who envy their power. Sasuke my friend, Sakura-chan, spoil the grandkids for us. No matter how long you stay, Team 7 will always be waiting for you on the other side."

The fire guttered out and the bodies were carried off the platform by moonlight, but Sakura thought she heard a happy voice laughing, "Minato, Kushina, this is my one true love Hinata-chan."

.

.

.

Asahi – morning sun

Arashi – Storm

Kushimi – a name

Narutaka – As much as possible

Nigami – Bitterness

Kamaitachi – Weasel wind spirit

Osaki – Future

Kitsu – Fox, Good fortune


End file.
